Chapter 7: Winter is here, will spring be far behind?
Seeing New Year's Eve approaching day by day, but there was no news from his cousin Lin Xiaodong, Lin Xiaoguang couldn't help but feel worried.
He thought of the self-defense counterattack against Vietnam.
My cousin last year, no, I should say the year before last. I went to the military academy the year before last, and I am now in my second year. Logically speaking, military academy students will not join the company before graduation, but similarly, compared with ordinary college students, they do not
I don’t know what I’m doing during the winter and summer vacations.
Amid this concern, New Year's Eve arrived.
The Lin family is different from other families because they are all in the county and live close to each other. New Year's Eve is always a happy reunion. The old man is in the old man's house, and the second, third, and other family members all go to his house to celebrate New Year's Eve. This makes it more lively.
.
Before five o'clock, Lin Xiaoguang and his family finished packing, locked the door, and all went to the uncle's house.
Along the way, Yang Wenshu held Lin Xiaofei's hand, and Lin Zhongping held Lin Xiaomo's hand. Only Lin Xiaoguang was ignored and walked between the four of them, humming an unknown tune.
In a few steps, I arrived at my uncle's house.
Uncle Lin Boping, who works in the County Armed Forces Department, is not a local cadre these days, but an active soldier. He lives in the courtyard of the Armed Forces Department. There are no soldiers standing guard, but there are guards to check in.
"No wonder the old man lives with his uncle. He clearly likes the atmosphere here!" After coming in, Lin Xiaoguang looked at the soldiers who were moving in a measured manner, thoughtfully.
According to the unwritten rules in the countryside of Chang'an, after several sons get married and their families separate, the elderly will stay at Yao'er's house.
But the old Lin family was different. At that time, the old man was alone and lonely. For some reason, he met Yang Wenjing's mother who lived in the old man's house. It happened that Yang Wenshu gave birth to a pair of twins, three children, and the family changed.
It was so crowded that the old man took this opportunity to marry his mother-in-law and move to Lin Boping's house at the same time.
Now that I think about it, there must be other reasons.
Why the mother-in-law didn't want to come to the second son's house? Apart from being a little uncomfortable with Yang Wenshu and Yang Wenyong, the rest, of course she wanted to live with her biological daughter.
Lin Xiaoguang later understood these things and why her mother-in-law always loved her cousin more. This was probably human nature and people are always partial.
When I walked into my uncle's house, I didn't expect to see my uncle at home, but I saw my cousin Lin Xiaodong sitting peacefully.
"Brother, when did you come and you didn't tell me?" Lin Xiaoguang was particularly surprised.
Standing 1.8 meters tall, he stood up and was pressed down like a mountain. He was well fed in the military academy and exercised a lot. Now he was looking tough and powerful, but Lin Xiaodong scratched his head honestly and chuckled: "Just now
Come on, just arrived!"
"Where's the uncle? Why don't you see him?"
The aunt is a smart person. Lin Xiaodong is not very good at talking, but she is good at talking. She greeted him familiarly: "Xiaoguang is here, sit down first and eat sweets. Oh, your brother is stupid. He will arrive at four in the afternoon."
I haven’t told you yet, but your uncle has gone to the army. It’s true that he can’t even spare time for a meal on New Year’s Eve.”
Lin Xiaoguang was about to say a word of comfort when the old man heard it in the living room and started to teach politics again: "Revolutionary work is like bricks. They can be moved wherever they are needed. He can still celebrate the New Year at home. Think about the army, how many of them can go home?"
?”
"Okay, okay, don't talk about this today." The mother-in-law had a headache.
Several children, Lin Xiaodong has grown up, and Lin Xiaoyun is about to grow up. They are busy in the kitchen now. After Yang Lan came in, the two girls went to whisper. As for Lin Xiaoguang, he was free and ready to set off firecrackers, but the three
This child has sharp eyes. If he seizes it early and takes it for himself, he will have nothing to do.
With nothing to do, he put his ear against the door frame and listened to the whispers of his cousins.
The two of them found out and caught one of them, staring at each other. There was a pain in his left and right waists. He grimaced in pain and couldn't be more presumptuous. He ran to the kitchen to eat secretly, but was scolded again.
"If you want to have nothing to do, go downstairs and keep an eye on them. They are still young. Setting off firecrackers is so dangerous, but you don't care about your brother!" Yang Wenshu scolded angrily.
"I'll go right away!"
Lin Xiaoguang hurriedly went downstairs, and then he heard Lin Zhongping calling him: "Xiaoguang, come here and help!"
When he came up again, he was very helpless. No one paid attention to him when he was free, and he was too busy when he was busy. What do you think this is?
"You can put up the characters of blessing and the couplets later, and also offer incense to the Stove Lord. You should also be prepared." Lin Zhongping gave instructions one by one.
"Okay!" Lin Xiaoguang agreed readily, holding the things and getting ready to start working.
I have to say that although the old man is a member of the Communist Party, maybe because he was born in the old society, he has not forgotten the old things. Even when the Four Olds were destroyed, the ancestral tablets were well hidden, and he did not worship when the wind was tight.
Relax for a while, then take it out and incense it.
Tomb Sweeping Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and Double Ninth Festival are all valued more than anyone else.
Elsewhere, the old man has a terrible temper, which makes him cute despite his stubbornness and lack of revolutionary will.
Time passed by, and the dumplings were wrapped and put into the pot. After three times of cooking, the old man picked up each one with chopsticks and tasted it, shouting that it was done.
Then, Yang Wenshu and three other people were busy picking up the cooked dumplings with a picket. The first bowl was placed on the altar table as a tribute to the ancestors. Chili pepper and vinegar chopsticks were not missing. The second bowl was placed on the stove and dedicated to the stove.
Your Majesty, the same is true.
It was not Lin Xiaoguang's turn to kowtow to the ancestors, but Lin Xiaodong, the eldest son and grandson.
The Stove Lord is Lin Xiaoguang's. He used to do things perfunctorily and became sincere only after he became an adult. Today, he was deeply touched. He kowtowed respectfully and his forehead touched the floor. It felt cold before he stood up.
, dusted off the dirt on the knees of his pants, turned around and went out, thumping downstairs.
"Xiaofei, Xiaojie, set off firecrackers!"
"knew!"
One person held the disassembled firecrackers, and the other held a match. They lit the match and lit the fuse. Suddenly, the crackling sound of firecrackers resounded throughout the yard.
This is called receiving the ancestors, and they must be greeted with firecrackers. The middle door is opened wide. We receive them on New Year's Eve, send them off on the third day of the lunar month, pick them up on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, and send them off on the sixteenth day.
This is not a local custom in Chang'an, but from the Qinzhou area in Xilong. Lin Xiaoguang didn't know why the Lin family was like this during the New Year. Later he learned that the old Lin family was originally from the Qinzhou area and moved here during the Tongzhi period.
After the firecrackers were set off, the old man waved his hand: "Let's eat!"
So, the dumplings that the little ones were eager to eat were served steaming hot, and the whole family gathered around, really enjoying themselves.
The Chinese New Year is the happiest time for children. In addition to the indispensable New Year's money on the first day of the new year, they will also receive some money when visiting relatives and friends, as well as new clothes on the morning of the first day of the new year, and delicious food when visiting relatives.
It's delicious. In addition, during the Chinese New Year, parents are busy with housework, the children are in a state of relaxation, and there is no need to write homework during the winter vacation.
In 1978, there was no Spring Festival Gala.
It was hard for Lin Xiaoguang to believe that he was staying up until the early hours of the morning in a country without TV, mobile phone, or computer, just chatting and listening to the radio.
During this period, I was not drowsy, but my mind was always excited.
There seemed to be a stream of heat hidden in his body, waiting for the opportunity to burst out. He didn't know what it was, but he vaguely felt that in 1978, in Peking, Hong Kong, and the United States, it was his time.
Really arrived.
The excitement kept him awake at night, and he was so excited that he could not sleep all night until very late.